If you dismiss the 'corporate or environmental terrorist' theory, Foot & Mouth Disease entered our country by only two possible means. 1) Infected imported meat 2) Aircraft or vessel waste.

On the 3rd March I reported that I had it on very good authority from a person who has attended every single MAFF meeting since 21st Feb, that the disastrous outbreak of Foot & Mouth, caused by the 'O type' virus that is currently rampant in Asia and the Far East, was most likely caused by pigswill originating from infected galley catering waste from a commercial aircraft waste disposal unit at Newcastle Airport. I have been reliably informed that in all probability that this aircraft waste was illegally supplied to a pig swill merchant in Northumberland who, without proper heat treatment, subsequently sold this rotting and contaminated waste to the farmer who fed the swill to his pigs. The rest of the story is now a National Crisis.

My full investigation below is now firmly in the Public Domain and the results are EXTREMELY DISTURBING. READ ON!!

30th May 2001 - Last week I returned from Greece (Rhodes) after a well earned break. Coming through Gatwick Airport there were NO warnings or custom checks to be found about the illegality of bringing in meat products into the UK. Strange - FMD in Greece is endemic!! No warning was issued on the plane either!! Editor of Rip-Off Britain

Imported meat from FMD countries is STILL being imported into the UK. A consignment of beef from Argentina arrived at Southhampton Docks on 12th March. I would suspect that further imports of meat are arriving daily - with little or no regard as to the country of origin or whether those countries have current cases of FMD.

Latest comments from Mike Young, of the Association of Port Health Authorities (APHA), on Sat 24th BBC Radio 5 Live He said "Some agency ought to be responsible for carrying out the checks"

SCANDAL WATCH !! - See recommendations regarding Food Safety to Parliament in December 1997 "Under the Food Safety Act 1990 and the Imported Food Regulations, there is no requirement on importers to land at designated ports or to provide advance notification to the Port Health Authorities responsible for enforcing controls....The Association of Port Health Authorities (APHA) were not satisfied that the existing system for controlling the importation of food provided adequate safeguards for public health, and argued that "there needs to be a uniform system of checks on all foodstuffs entering the EU and not just for products of animal origin" The recommendations were NEVER TAKEN UP Click here to view the report in full

Now here's my question - Why the hell are we feeding our animals on swill collected from airline waste!! And why are we still importing meat from FMD contagious countries. It's outrageous!!

Regarding Sky News 'supposed Exclusive report' (26th March), here's article from the Independent Newspaper dated 14th March about those very pig farmers in the North East being fined for distributing infected swill (this was reported in The House of Lords 13th March, and clearly AFTER my investigations had been published!). (NOTE: link to Independent has horrid java script, so be sure to hit your back button a few times to get back here!)

If the information above is subsequently found to be true, then it'll be the biggest scandal since the cause of BSE was uncovered. The 'dirty man of Europe' strikes again.

Whilst the authorities tear around the countryside trying to stem the flow of new F & M cases, slaughtering and trying to dispose of 100,000's of carcasses, and causing untold pain to already beleaguered and distressed farmers and rural businesses, which could cost an estimated £20 billion this year, ONLY NOW AFTER A MONTH have the authorities started to consider HOW the outbreak came into the UK and, more importantly will the contamination STILL manage, and continue to enter our country after we finally eliminate the disease? It's rather like trying to put out a forest fire whilst there's still a small boy playing with a box of matches at the other end of the forest. So who's watching the BACK DOOR - and when and where will the 2nd wave of infection enter the UK?

Because this is a crisis of National importance and will affect everyone in the UK, over the past few weeks I've been actively conducting research on how our commercial airlines dispose of their in-flight waste products. And more importantly, WHO is responsible for the safe disposal of this waste, and HOW it is handled.

IF THIS WASTE WAS SOLD TO A PIG SWILL MERCHANT (a nice backhander for someone, or is it common illegal practice?) IT'S A NATIONAL SCANDAL!

THIS WASTE SHOULD BE INCINERATED!!

How aircraft waste is handled in the UK

All Airline companies in the UK contract caterers who provide cabin food for passengers. For instance, London Gatwick has five catering companies serving numerous airlines 24 hours a day, 7 day a week. Once a plane has landed, it is the responsibility of these catering companies to remove all cabin catering material, such as plates, cutlery, waste cups & paper, including waste food products. The many hundreds of kilos of waste food generated each day, such as uneaten meals and general food particles are placed in a container at the airport for collection by a company such a Biffa, where it is apparently taken to a landfill site. Regardless the fact that much of this food was processed for passengers in countries where F & M is endemic in various popular holiday destinations such as Greece, Turkey and the Far East, I can find no evidence that this waste is either managed safely, or is enforceably incinerated.

I am informed that the BAA is directly responsible for contracting the hauliers that cart off the waste. There is currently no information who enforces or monitors its disposal. Because of the staggering increase of air traffic, and competition between companies, it is probable that any monitoring is extremely poor. Airline catering worldwide is worth $10 US billion a year.

In addition, a separate company is contracted to clean the interior of the plane, remove solid toilet waste, and occasionally fumigate the interior.

Useful Link:

International Flight Catering Association

Using the resources of the Internet I researched how other countries dispose of waste from commercial airline international flights. I could only find specific information from the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Interestingly, these countries have been free from F & M for over 45+ years (no F & M in USA since 1929) and they take the disposal of aircraft cabin waste VERY SERIOUSLY INDEED.

Extract from regulations in Canada - enforced by The Canadian Food Inspection Agency

The disposal of waste from international flights is covered in the regulations under the Health of Animals Act. Section 47 of the regulations specify the requirements for the handling of waste from international flights http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/laws/H-3.3/CRC-c296/123673.html

(4) Subject to subsections (3), (6) and (7), no person shall discharge in Canada aircraft garbage from any country or ship's refuse from the United States, unless the aircraft garbage or ship's refuse is (a) treated and disposed of in accordance with the requirements of subsection (2); or (b) without delay moved, under the supervision of or to the satisfaction of an inspector in such a manner that the movement would only pose a negligible risk of the introduction into Canada, or spread within Canada, of a vector, disease or toxic substance, and disposed of in a sanitary landfill site approved by the Minister. An overview of the CFIA's activities to prevent the introduction of FMD can be found at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/newcom/fmde.shtml

Extract from regulations in USA

TITLE 42--PUBLIC HEALTH CHAPTER I--PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PART 71--FOREIGN QUARANTINE Sec. 71.45 Food, potable water, and waste: U.S. seaports and airports. (a) Every seaport and airport shall be provided with a supply of potable water from a watering point approved by the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Food and Drug Administration, in accordance with standards established in title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, parts 1240 and 1250. (b) All food and potable water taken on board a ship or aircraft at any seaport or airport intended for human consumption thereon shall be obtained from sources approved in accordance with regulations cited in paragraph (a) of this section. (c) Aircraft inbound or outbound on an international voyage shall not discharge over the United States any excrement, or waste water or other polluting materials. Arriving aircraft shall discharge such matter only at servicing areas approved under regulations cited in paragraph (a) of this section. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dq/codeof.htm

LATEST from Aphis in the USA Caterers, companies, and facilities that handle garbage from incoming international aircraft are being monitored for compliance with existing agreements for safe disposal.

Australian Quarantine (General) Regulations

Galley waste and other refuse from international aircraft may be disposed of at a municipal or other commercial waste disposal facility under standard waste control measures, and subject to audit by Quarantine Australia (Section 8.12.1). The Review Committee recommends that disposal of galley refuse from vessels continue by means of incineration, deep burial at marked sites or by heat treatment, and that auditing of this disposal be intensified (Section 8.12.2). Treatment of aircraft Quarantine Treatment of ship Quarantine....more

An extract from Auckland Airport, New Zealand

Quarantine Facilities Objective: To prevent unwanted pests or diseases from entering Methods: Incineration of waste from international flights On-site incineration Stringent regulations Secure disposal of ash slurry www.auckland-airport.co.nz http://www.quarantine.govt.nz Biosecurity Act 1993

I have been informed that Japan has VERY strict controls - Still researching, but will roll-out results as they are found
How Japan disposes of her waste (general) Yahoo Japan

Foot-and-mouth causes painful lesions in the mouths and feet of stricken animals, which quickly lose interest in eating and eventually become unable even to stand.

FMD can travel on the wind up to approximately 40 miles.

Although many infected animals recover from the disease, they are poor producers of milk and meat afterward — and can harbour the virus in their tonsils for up to three years.

Despite the fact that symptoms of foot-and-mouth do not manifest themselves in humans, the virus can live in human lungs for periods exceeding 24 hours, and can be transmitted to animals within that time.

Foot-and-mouth can survive in soil trapped in the tread pattern of shoes for days or even weeks.

The virus can be carried by birds, clothes, vehicles, dust, in infected meat eaten by the animal, and in the air itself.

IT IS APPARENT THAT WE HAVE NO SPECIFIC LEGISLATION GOVERNING THE DISPOSAL OR ENFORCEMENT OR INCINERATION OF AIRCRAFT WASTE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM - THIS IS CLEARLY A NATIONAL SCANDAL THAT HAS FAR GREATER RAMIFICATIONS THAN THE BSE OUTBREAK.

What was said in Parliament and at Standing Committees in the past about Pig Swill and Animal Feed

Mr. Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): 26th Feb
"Containment is clearly the top priority, but understanding how foot and mouth disease came to Britain is crucial if the risk of a recurrence is to be minimised. What steps are the Government taking to identify the source of the outbreak? If it appears that the source was imported meat, is the right hon. Gentleman ready to tighten controls on imports? Is he able to confirm reports that the unit in Northumberland was feeding pigs on swill, and bought its supplies from airports whose own sources may have been overseas? "

Mr. Richard Livsey MP (Brecon and Radnorshire): said 28th Feb 2001
"Imports from third countries are a problem and I alert the Minister to the fact that a person cannot enter New Zealand with even a sandwich in his pocket--it would be incinerated. We must be that particular in respect of the situation in Britain and food brought in at airports and ferry ports should be burnt on sight and destroyed. Also, I urge the Minister to consider banning pig swill. Cutbacks have affected Ministry vets and veterinary investigation centres have been closed. That loss must be examined as well."

European Standing Committee 'A' Debates Animal By-Products 7 March 2001 (debate on Pig Swill)
(25th March - Gov supposed to announce the banning of pig swill - 16 days after the debate!!!)

The Earl of Shrewsbury - speaking in the House of Lords 13th March 2001
"The Waugh brothers' swill unit at Heddon-on-the-Wall was the source of the original outbreak. To all intents and purposes, it was not a well-run establishment and had been visited by MAFF officials on 22nd December last. I quote from an article in Farmers Weekly on 8th March: "Allegations of uncleanliness in a yard strewn with uncooked food, dogs and foxes living off raw swill and overflowing slurry pits surrounded the Waugh brothers' pig unit at Heddon-on-the-Wall. "But despite being reported to MAFF, and the inspection by Ministry vets and local authority trading standards officers that followed on December 22, no action on account of alleged uncleanliness was taken against the Waugh brothers". Why on earth not? Such action might have prevented this foot and mouth epidemic. The article went on to quote a lady who rents land adjoining the pig unit. She is reported as saying: "Everyone wants to know why the authorities did not close them down. The entire area was filthy. "Flocks of birds would feed freely and the place provided a constant source of food for a family of foxes that had built a huge earth close nearby. Why was this food allowed to be left all over the yard even after the inspection in December?....I understand that the Waugh brothers' operation at Heddon-on-the-Wall used swill produced from waste food collected from airports. Is there any truth in that rumour?" (Stated in the House of Lords 13th March)

Baroness Hayman 13th March 2001
"I should say something about swill. That matter was raised by the noble Earl, Lord Shrewsbury, and the noble Lords, Lord Soulsby and Lord Dixon-Smith. It would be inconceivable that we did not deal with that issue in the longer term review as a matter of principle. As has been pointed out, swill is fed to pigs in a very limited number of premises--about 1.4 per cent of the pig herd is fed on swill. Schedule 5 to the Animal Byproducts Order 1999 requires catering waste to be processed for at least 60 minutes at a temperature of not less than 100 degrees centigrade. If that is done properly, it kills off any virus that is present. I assure the House that swill plants are licensed and are inspected regularly. I understand that they are inspected twice a year. The Chief Veterinary Officer has ensured that all swill plants will be paid an extra visit. It is important again to spell out that it is illegal under any circumstances to feed to farmed animals catering waste imported into Great Britain on aeroplanes, ships or planes."
(Schedule 5 does not appear to address the specific disposal of Aircraft galley waste) Ed.